7 Films that deserve a sequel

Sequels and prequels appear in our cinemas every day but somehow we haven’t had follow-ups to these seven films that fully deserve the “sequel treatment”.

The Goonies

“HEY YOU GUYS!” Why haven’t we seen a sequel yet?

Friend groups are still envious of the bond that The Goonies shared—an example of teamwork and adventure that we all wanted as kids (and maybe even more so as adults).

There’s been talk of a sequel for years and some reports have stated that it would be about the gang getting back together as adults whilst others hint that the original gang’s kids will take up the mantle.

The popularity of Netflix’s Stranger Things is a prime example that we still want to watch a group of friends solve mysteries, especially when they’re 1980s-themed. We can only hope that we will see the Truffle Shuffle once more.

Gladiator

Images via kokorosot/crowecrossing

Hans Zimmer beautifully scores the death of Maximus Decimus Meridius as he reunites with his family in the afterlife. Why would you want a sequel to such a flawless conclusion? Because the pitched idea is absolutely bonkers.

Musician Nick Cave wrote a sequel that involves Maximus being reincarnated by Roman Gods and fighting through time. Bizarrely captivating, to say the least.​The leaked script included scenes of Maximus fighting against tanks in WW2, wielding a flamethrower in the Vietnam War and even hanging around the modern-day Pentagon.

Generic sequels trying to recapture the appeal of the original flood the film industry, the baffling ideas that Cave suggested are so out there that they may work.

The Room

“YOU’RE TEARING ME APART LISA”

One of the many iconic lines from what is debatably the worst film ever made, yet audiences can’t get enough and want more.

Written, directed and starring Tommy Wiseau, The Room was meant to be a romantic drama but is seen as a comedy full of mistakes and unintended hilarity.

Tommy, played by the creator of the same name, ends his life after finding out his girlfriend has been cheating. A rather definitive end but anything is possible in the mind of Wiseau.

This cult phenomenon continues to grow with a biographical comedy about the film, The Disaster Artist, directed and starring James Franco, releasing in 2017.

Who Framed Roger Rabbit?

A seamless blend of animation and live action mixed with wit and dread equals one of Disney’s most underrated films.

This buddy comedy appealed to adults and children alike with its risky humour and the stellar cameos from Mickey Mouse to Bugs Bunny.

The lack of hand-drawn animation in cinema needs a revival and a Roger Rabbit sequel could be a display of past and present animation combined with live performance.

Director Robert Zemeckis stated that he’d make a sequel even though star Bob Hoskins passed away in 2014, but he doesn’t think that Disney has any interest in revisiting Roger Rabbit at this time.

The Truman Show

As Truman finally steps foot into the real world, we’re left wondering how he’ll cope with people knowing everything about him whilst he knows no one.

Trust issues, employability and unwanted fame are just the tip of the iceberg of the consequences that Truman will face as a result of his televised life.

How does someone who's had everything staged—from relationships to jobs—survive on their own? Will he be reunited with his college love? And if so, will it work?

Accidental fame is a huge concern for the current “YouTube generation”. A Truman Show sequel could explore the negative effects that fame can have but with Jim Carey’s satirical performance keeping a healthy balance.

Dredd

The 2012 comic book-based action film set in a dystopian city was a huge win for fans but, sadly, not for the box office. Dredd ends with the possibility of endless adventures that audiences deserve.

Prior to this gritty adaptation, general audiences were only ever introduced to the character in 1995’s Judge Dredd starring Sylvester Stallone. A much cheesier movie than hardcore fans expected.

A Dredd sequel is still a possibility with continual support from the actors and over 40 years of source material, which shows that this series isn’t going down without a fight.

Van Helsing

Image via tribalwar

Hugh Jackman fighting werewolves, vampires and other monsters deserves endless screen time but it only had one cinematic appearance.

Van Helsing narrowly escapes in the 2004 fantasy adventure leading audiences to believe that we’d see the character face other Universal monsters such as The Mummy or The Creature from the Black Lagoon but due to poor reviews these adventures never occurred.

The studio planned to create a greater universe around Van Helsing with a spin-off TV show, Transylvania, about a young cowboy from Texas who becomes sheriff of Transylvania and battles similar monsters.

Universal’s passion for a connective monster series continues with 2017s The Mummy starring Tom Cruise.

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